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Ewurabena Ewudziwa Hagan is my next feature on today’s episode of #lifeafteruniversity diaries. She is such a gracious young lady with an infectious smile….oh yeah and I have known her since secondary school days (A1 sister for life!). Get ready to enjoy her story as she takes a different turn too.

Turned Tables

In June 2016, as I was driven out of the Ashesi University Campus I remember feeling a new surge of energy. I was free at last, to pursue my dreams. For many years, a lot of wishes were preceded by; “when I finish school…” little did I know that there were a lot of other conditions that needed to be met before I could achieve anything I wanted to.

Don’t get me wrong, I never really felt like a prisoner in school. I was one of those that barely put any effort into studying. I was more active in my co-curricular (or if you please, social life). In my first and second year, I was a part of the welfare committee; the welfare committee is the branch of the school’s student council that deals with student housing (and well, welfare) issues. In my final year, I served as the vice president of the student council and helped co-ordinate student-run clubs on campus. I was also an active member of the Kingdom Christian Fellowship and served in the Women in Christ wing and the secretariat departments. These (as well as many other) activities made academic work bearable for me. I’m pretty certain about this: had I been inactive outside the lecture hall, my output in grades would have been horrible.

I thoroughly enjoyed the four years I spent at Ashesi University, and I would relive those four years in (almost) exactly the same way if I could do it again. I think it was really fulfilling, knowing that I didn’t hinder my growth or shy away from new experiences. Even the mistakes I made have nurtured me so much, I don’t fully regret them all.

I studied Business Administration at Ashesi, though I had no real interest in accounting or financial management. I took extra courses in marketing, though- because that seemed to resemble what I would love to focus on, in the world of work. I wasn’t entirely wrong, because I am currently in that industry, but this is probably not the industry I will thrive most in.

After graduation, I don’t remember having any concrete laid out plans. I just knew I didn’t even want to think about a master’s degree. I assumed I would land a job from Ashesi’s wide network of companies and would figure out life one step at a time. I was eager to discover myself a little more and KNOW (for sure), what I would like to do for a long term.

Things weren’t as I expected, though. I have realized that in a lot of situations, I would need to pursue a master’s degree to increase my relevance in the world of work.  So that is something I have been mulling over for the past two years. I also had to relinquish an opportunity to try out event management to fill a position in the family business. The last unexpected turn of events is, I’m getting married soon- that’s two years after graduating. I had assumed it would happen sooner than later, but not THIS soon. After just how much my plan has shifted, I have stopped focusing on making my life pan out my way. Rather, I have prepared my mind and heart to say “yes” to whatever God may bring my way.

Though I have not faced any rejections, I have faced a number of disappointments. There is a business idea I have been working hard at making a reality. There’s no money for it, and no time – seeing as I work an eight to five job in my family business.

From these few years after university, if I had the chance to give myself advice, I would say: ‘dream big; but know that everything has its times and seasons.’ I would say this because, (for example), though I had a business idea I could not start, I may be able to start it in a few years – so I shouldn’t shatter my dream yet – I should only hope it materializes as soon as possible.

In dealing with an HR recruitment firm very often, I have found that the job market (in Ghana) is a little saturated. The jobs that are in high demand are in low supply. Some university graduates have dreams of earning as much as Ghc3,000 on their first job. There may be that possibility, but that will be one-in-a-million! One thing I learned in the university was developing a mindset of solving problems with businesses. Universities should encourage students to solve these problems (even if it is within another firm,) rather than just falling into the paths that have been laid ahead of them.

I’m Ewurabena Hagan, a content editor at Focus Digital, an advertising agency. You can follow me on ewurabenawrites.com or @ewurabenawrites on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Please Follow Ewurabena’s blog too! Wishing you a happy married life in advance babe! Stay tuned for the last three episodes…

As the series comes to an end, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tutua Agyekum, who I have known since secondary school days. For Tutua’s interview today, she takes a different turn or should I say decided to go with her own flow which I encouraged so as to have a mix of different styles hence breaking the monotony. Her story is detailed and you don’t want to miss it.

All award-winning television shows have one thing in common; the gradual improvement from the pilot season to the current episode. For me, that is how I see my life.  You grab each opportunity by the horns and direct it as it pleases you.  I grew up often hearing the statement “when life gives you lemons, make a lemonade”.  Why stick with the status quo when you could make a mojito, a wicked Moscow mule or a margarita served in a frosted glass, with a sliver of lemon at the rim (of the glass) and an umbrella? This is my story about the lemons life has and is still handling me after the sheltered life called The University.

Before entering the university, I had a one-track mind. It was either medical school or nothing. I was so confident of earning a spot in medical school. I felt that was my calling, my purpose, my life, my everything. My first batch of lemonade got served when I failed to enter medical school.  I was distraught. To make matters worse, I knew people who I felt I had a better shot at medicine than they did earn a spot. I was disappointed and I often questioned God endlessly. What happened to all my seeds, fasting and prayers?

I was given the opportunity to offer Biochemistry and to me, that has been one of the defining moments in my life. To aptly put it, I hated the program even without knowing about it.  My repugnance deepened when my lecturer told myself and a group of freshers that we had a shot at being rappers and photographers at our orientation. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for these professions, however, imagine in my shoes at that time.  I almost quit school that day. In my mind, I felt my one-way ticket to success was securing a high flying white colored job. After all, that is what our society preaches, literally. A pastor will put hands on a university graduate and prophesy that he sees her occupying a big position in government which comes with a 4-bedroom bungalow, a V8 SUV, and countless allowances. Hardly would you hear a pastor prophesy about a graduate making fortunes through involvement in a trade. Hmmmmmm!!!

Gradually, I began to appreciate the program and its confusions. Some of the lecturers not only focus on imparting knowledge but also on building our capacity as young individuals. There were some courses that I felt were not relevant to my existence. Alas, these courses thought me that I had only two options. The options were either I pass or trail. Which would you choose? One of my greatest motivations to learn was that in my department, results of all students are made public. Your name, your average and your trails for all to see. Eiee!!! Fine girl paa with trails?? Never.

Life in Uni was fun. I enjoyed every bit of it. I loved the anxiety that came with writing examinations. I loved the exam fever. The late nights, the study sleepovers, the sleepless nights, the chew and pour and the occasional skipping of lectures to sleep and laze about in your room (please don’t try the last point if you are still I’m school. It could be injurious to your GPA).

Anyway, after graduating in 2016, I was thrust into the” real world” that I had been warned about. Now, the real world happens to you when you are to find a job and start fending for yourself. All of a sudden, the once beautiful parasitic relationship you once had with the Bank of Mum and Dad is severed. Girl has huge plans and I am taking steps to actualize them. I would share some but first, let me brief you on “national suffering “; the mandatory year of service to the motherland. National service is no joke. I mean, you literally have to fight to earn a spot at the company you served. If not, you’d have to fall on the benevolence of your supervisors to refer you to other companies. Again, if your parents are “big people” they could help you find a job in no time.

So, armed with anecdotes and wisdom nuggets about life and the competitive job market from possibly every older person in my life, I started service knowing that my choices could either make me jobless or be gainfully employed (self-employment inclusive) at the end of my service year.  My trick was to work smart, network and build a large referral base. In all my dealings, I never forgot the God- factor. Thankfully, my efforts paid off and I gained employment right after national service.

I feel university education is beginning to lose its value. It is focusing on raising individuals who theory -biased, however, I think it fails woefully I’m preparing individuals for the working environment. That is my opinion. How many people do you know who are working even remotely in a field they studied in school? Graduates have to go through on -the- job training and other courses to help them settle in their jobs. On top of it all, most job vacancies advertised require a minimum of two years working experience. How on earth is a fresh graduate going to gather experience if not given the opportunity?

If I had the opportunity to advise my first year me, I’ll drone on and on about never underestimating the power of networking   A “big man” recently told me that my network is my net wealth. It’s that simple. The job market is built on referrals and who knows you. Let your work speak for itself and always remember that we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.

Currently, I work as a Quality Assurance Manager. It fuels my passion for providing industrial support and the technical know-how industries who are struggling with local and international regulatory compliance. I am an ardent believer of self-sufficiency through multiple streams of income. That is what defines me as an independent woman.  I work as an associate for a nutraceutical company. I am a budding mixologist. I grow mushrooms for sale and I am planning on going into mainstream farming.  Gradually, I am ticking stuff off my checklist.

Finally, life is not what it is but how you see it. That has been my favorite quote since the start of 2018. Your life after university can be anything you choose it to be. You can connect with me on Facebook.

I am very impressed, to say the least about Tutua’s approach to life’s issues and I think we could all take a thing or two from her. Completing university is just the beginning and not the END. Stay tuned for the next feature soon.

So far, I am just thankful to God for the opportunity to showcase different stories on what it takes to make it after leaving school…the insight has been amazing and I am certain today’s episode will not be anything different. A pleasure to share the story of my ‘akumaa’ like I sometimes call her, Miriam Dela Agbada, who has been a dear friend for about 7 years now. Be inspired!

What is your name and what university did you attend?

My name is Miriam Dela Agbada and I attended University of Ghana, Legon.

What year did you graduate and what course did you offer?

I graduated in 2016 and I offered a degree in Psychology and Adults Education.

Briefly describe how your university life; any extracurricular activities you were involved, scholarships, awards/ honors etc.

I lived a normal life in the university and barely involved myself in any extracurricular activities except for one or two church programs I attended or Hall weeks…My routine in school on a normal weekday was more of waking up, go for lectures, back to my room, find something to eat, sleep then later in the evening I probably hang out with some friends or stay indoors.

Based on your experience in university, do you regret going to university or did you regret at a point? If so why?

Every semester came with its own challenges especially there were semesters where a particular course could drain you and fear grips you when it’s almost examination time but it was all part of the experience. I have no regrets at all.

Upon graduation, did you have any plans as to what your next move was? Could you please share?

Of course. Just like every university graduate in Ghana, the plan was to start my National Service then after completion, I would then work for a while. After working for a while, I will then consider the option of furthering my studies.

Based on the answer from the question above, did these plans materialize in the short term or even long term? If it did what was the process like? If not, what happened? Did you have any backup plans?

Yes, I was able to complete my National Service but it hasn’t been easy trying to get a job which I believe is common to most fresh graduates. I implemented my back up plan that is started my own juice business which is still in the planning stages.

In the case where you faced rejections especially in applying for jobs etc, what effect did it have on your person? Care to share any experiences if you had one?

I have faced soo many rejections as I have gone for quite a number of interviews yet no luck. In one case interviewer told me just a first degree cannot get me a job as a fresh graduate and that I should participate in sale storms or be involved in marketing so I could gain some experience.

If you were to be that 18/19 year old going back to university, knowing what you know now (irrespective of how many years after university) what advice will you give yourself? Any advice to others?

I would just say it is important to cultivate the habit of saving and also try and discover my talent/passion and the develop it whilst in school by engaging in extracurricular activities….worst case scenario if a job is not forthcoming in my the field of my degree subject, there is an option  to fall back on using the talents unearthed to earn a living.

With the current state of the job market, do you think in like 10 years time, universities will still have value? Especially with the rate at which many graduates end up being unemployed or young people prefer to start their businesses or train in apprenticeships?

The University may not lose its value; after all, there are people who just have to go to school and have jobs waiting for them afterward. However, I think there will be an increasing rate of entrepreneurs just because that is the way forward; finding a problem and using your skills and initiative to provide solutions to them. I also think entrepreneurship should be encouraged more in our tertiary institutions so that students would start considering it even whilst they are still in school and support (funding, mentoring, etc) should be made available for them as well.

What do you do now in terms of work or any other thing you are involved, care to share your social media handles so people could connect with you?

I started my own juice production which is Dels Fruit Juice. Please support the brand especially if you are resident in Ghana. You could also connect with me on Facebook and LinkedIn.

After this series is done, I will give my observations and frustrations with this ‘system’ we find ourselves in, in today’s world…From Mimi’s story, what is actually considered enough to get your foot in the door? A Bachelors degree is considered not enough, in some cases, Masters isn’t, Ph.D.? Ah well… Who even determines what is enough and what isn’t? 

Stay tuned for the last 5 set of episodes for this diaries…If you still want to be part, send me via asumadugertrude@yahoo.com (female contributors only!)

Enjoy the rest of the week!

I am so excited about today’s feature…I have the pleasure to feature my girl/sister/friend, Natalie Christine Cofie. You all need a Natalie in your life….she’s been a friend since secondary school days and I thank God for her life always. She does not talk too much so expect brief answers…nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this episode.

What is your name and what university did you attend?

My name is Natalie C. Cofie and I attended University of Ghana, Legon.

What year did you graduate and what course did you offer?

I graduated in July 2017 and I studied a degree in BA Spanish and Linguistics.

Briefly describe how your university life; any extracurricular activities you were involved, scholarships, awards/honors etc.

Life on campus was quite a learning experience for me. Meeting people from different walks of life and having to deal with most of them in terms cohabitation, studying together and socializing. For me as an introvert, it was a bit hard at the beginning combining all that with studying, but I learned to adjust and with time I found my feet. I wasn’t involved much in extracurricular activities because I felt it would take all my time and concentration. But later I realized it does help so I got involved in the later part of my years in school.

Based on your experience in university, do you regret going to university or did you regret at a point? If so why?

I never had any regrets. I do miss school.

Upon graduation, did you have any plans as to what your next move was? Could you please share?

After graduating, my next move was to get my national service done and take it from there.

Based on the answer from the question above, did these plans materialize in the short term or even long term? If it did what was the process like? If not, what happened? Did you have any backup plans?

Yes, I’m currently doing my national service and though I’m not done it’s been a wonderful experience for me so far. I’ve learned a lot.

In the case where you faced rejections especially in applying for jobs etc, what effect did it have on your person? Care to share any experiences if you had one?

Straight after university, I have gone ahead to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the compulsory National Service scheme in Ghana, which is what I am currently doing. Thus, I have not really had the experience of applying for jobs and then getting rejected in the process. However, I must add the process of getting a National Service placement was quite stressful but in all, I thank God for getting this offer at the Foreign Affairs as I intend to pursue a Masters degree in the field of International Relations in the nearest future.

If you were to be that 18/19-year-old going back to university, knowing what you know now (irrespective of how many years after university) what advice will you give yourself? Any advice to others?

I would say you should get more involved in extracurricular activities such as volunteering because you get to have rich experience which may help you in facing the world after school.

With the current state of the job market, do you think in like 10 years’ time, universities will still have value? Especially with the rate at which many graduates end up being unemployed or young people prefer to start their businesses or train in apprenticeships?

I think they would if they revise their extracurricular activities to help bring out graduates that match up to the current job market. Thus, there should be more opportunities for students to be more involving outside the classroom which will, in turn, help build employable for their careers.

What do you do now in terms of work or any other thing you are involved, care to share your social media handles so people could connect with you?

I am currently doing my compulsory one-year national service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I am loving it. You connect with me on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Hope you enjoyed today’s episode. Stay tuned for the remaining episodes…Have an awesome filled week. Follow me on all my social media platforms!

On today’s episode, Abena Adutwumwaa Kyei shares her story and decided to keep it simple and very straightforward. I have known Abena since secondary school days and she is just one of those people you could worry for a long time and she will never get angry (ky…ky). Do enjoy her story.

What is your name and what university did you attend?

My name is Abena Adutwumwaa Kyei and I attended Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi (KNUST), Ghana.

What year did you graduate and what course did you offer?

I graduated in July 2016 and studied BA Sociology and English majoring in BA Sociology.

Briefly describe how your university life; any extracurricular activities you were involved, scholarships, awards/ honors etc.

Mmmm….my university life was quite boring.Had a few friends and never engaged in any extracurricular activities.My focus was on getting good grades and nothing else.The course I studied demanded a lot of reading and I believed if I missed out on that it was going to affect my grades.I went out a few times with friends especially on their birthdays and it was fun.

Based on your experience in university, do you regret going to university or did you regret at a point? If so why?

I think furthering my education was the best choice I made.Education has a way of making an individual fit well in our society, however, I sometimes regretted choosing my particular course of study.I realized the society I found myself in did not appreciate the course and did not create many opportunities for us.

Upon graduation, did you have any plans as to what your next move was? Could you please share?

At a point, I wanted to further my education after my national service but I later decided to get a job first.

Based on the answer from the question above, did these plans materialize in the short term or even long term? If it did what was the process like? If not, what happened? Did you have any backup plans?

I got a job after my national service but I quit because the salary was not worth the stress level associated with the job. I’m still in the process of getting a new one.

In the case where you faced rejections especially in applying for jobs etc, what effect did it have on your person? Care to share any experiences if you had one?

I’ve not had any experiences like that.

If you were to be that 18/19 year old going back to university, knowing what you know now (irrespective of how many years after university) what advice will you give yourself? Any advice to others?

In the first place, I’d offer a course that is more practical in senior high and further it in the university. Most people are making it now because of their abilities to use their hands to create. Getting good grades is very important but what’s the use if you have to depend on someone before you can earn a living. We should focus more on creativity and this is nothing new…I remember back in senior high I learned about how to improve education in Ghana and this particular point was raised. It’s high time we make things a reality.

With the current state of the job market, do you think in like 10 years time, universities will still have value? Especially with the rate at which many graduates end up being unemployed or young people preferring to start their businesses or train in apprenticeships?

Education is a necessity but I think universities would not have the same value because currently everyone wishes to be an entrepreneur due to the high rates of unemployment in our society.It is evident in our society that individuals especially those with huge capitals to start their businesses are making it as well as those with talents.

What do you do now in terms of work or any other thing you are involved, care to share your social media handles so people could connect with you?

I am on Facebook . Currently, I’m searching for a job and also involved in a petty business.

Taking a cue from Abena’s story…maybe we should start having discussions about the courses we choose to do in university and also the exploitation fresh graduates out of university face just because some employers decide to tap on their desperation to get a job…

Stay tuned for more episodes…There is still one more slot…just email me on asumadugertrude@yahoo.com or comment with your email address and I will get back to you.

In honor of her birthday this week, I present to you the story of my dear friend., Elizabeth Abena Adifah Osei aka DDS (don’t ask what that means). I met Lisa (like she prefers to be called) back in secondary school. She has been one of my support systems since…I hope you enjoy her story and a Happy Birthday to You in Advance babe!

Also, Elizabeth’s approach to answering her questions was different from the others generally…. so it would not be the normal Q&A. (Just because it is her birthday week it is allowed!)

Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. (Mark 12:17)

It’s funny that I should begin with a Bible quotation but I believe the message will resonate more with this example. I do hope that this post inspires a change in lifestyles in the right direction.

When Jesus made this statement, he did not mean that Christians should live double lives or double standards. What he meant was we are not hermits. Society will demand certain responsibilities from us which we must duly undertake to maintain decorum and also to his glory. We are in school to study better our lives. So once we are there, we should do what school demands of us. There was a time in Uni when all I did was go to church. I would study the Bible all day, go on evangelism, basically just doing God’s work. This was perfectly okay and it didn’t affect my academics in any way because I was quite a good student. However, after Uni, I realized that all the time spent engaging in these activities could have been channeled elsewhere. All of my Uni life could be summed up as doing church stuff and books which were okay but it wasn’t the best. In the end, I realize that I could have done more with my time and applied myself to other areas which could have made me more open-minded and where I could have acquired one or more added skills. This is in no way saying that church work is bad for a Uni student (Serve the Lord in your youth) but try to find the balance and realize that you are in school to school (If King Solomon wasn’t telling the truth when he said “there’s a time for everything”).

There were students who prayed all day and all night every single day of the semester. During exams, all they could manage to write on the paper was a prayer for help from God. I am in no way belittling anyone’s faith but C’mon, don’t mock God. There are others who would die for the opportunity to be educated but you were selected from the lot so why not make the best of the opportunity and shame the devil. If you want to do God’s work, by all means, do so but do not let your education suffer for it.

Christians should never tip the scale so the church benefits at the detriment of other aspects of their lives. This I believe is the genesis of corruption in Ghana and in Africa in general. We spend productive hours in church and when it’s time to work, we cut corners and ‘give gifts’ for favor. We rush through duties we are paid for so we can go back to sit in our offices to read devotionals and Bible passages. Can we pause and reflect? If you want to use your break time to do these things, that’s your choice and it’s perfectly okay, but let’s not use man hours to do the things of the spirit. At the end of the day, God placed you in school not to fail but to do well. Let his glory shine through your ability to balance your academic work with your spiritual life.

You should read everything and anything. Roll your eyes all you want but this is the best advice anyone could give. When I was young, I took pride in the fact that I was a voracious reader; I read everything and anything that could be read. Along the line, I lost this knack for reading outside school work. I became so fixated on passing exams that I’d rather reread my texts than being carried into another life through creative pieces. This is one of the things I regret most in life. Luckily for me, I’m young and this is a habit that is easily inculcated so I’m glad to say that I’m back on the reading machine!! Read because you must be inquisitive about what goes on outside the lecture theatre. Read about Syria and why there is so much upheaval there, read about Africa, about politics, about the many kingdoms past and gone, read about cartoons, about creative arts; READ! READ!! READ!!! I cannot belabor the importance of reading. I could beg but I’m not one to manipulate so I’ll just hope that this paragraph does the job.

Network!! Another eye-roll paragraph, I know but please don’t sleep on this. This networking very basic; Make friends! Make it a point to know as many people as you possibly can. I don’t mean going around and forcing yourself on others. Try as much as possible to know your course mates by name. Believe it or not, you’ll meet them on your climb up. Don’t be the hermit in class especially because you’re doing well and making A+s. Do not be condescending. Get to know those who are even weak in class; the lazy ones always have a thing or two you could learn from. Do not neglect those who are in the creative arts even because one day you might need that free ticket to a concert or need to enroll your child in their topnotch dance or drama class. You can bookmark this post so you can return t it when the “Aha” moment hits you.

This goes without saying that you need to have some form of relationship with your lecturers as well. One thing I have learned is that these people do not bite and are some of the nicest people once you get to meet them. They’re trained t be nice but we are bridled by fear of not wanting to be fingered in class to answer questions so we stay as far away from them as possible. After school, you will need your lecturers to write recommendations for you and this is when the relationship comes to play. Imagine writing a recommendation for someone you do not know? What you will get is a generic and stoic piece of information that will not put you in a competitive league. So know them and have them mentor you.

Get involved in extracurricular activities (aside from religious ones). Join a club, advocacy groups, start a campaign with friends about something you’re passionate about. Be EXTRA in that sense. Why? Because it’s an avenue for meeting new people and learning about values and principles of others. I was never a participant of these things and I only realized how useless I was after I left Uni. So make sure, you’re doing something extra. The TV shows are fun to watch but be your own show. Also, who doesn’t want some of these on their CV. In the end, organizations are looking out for how well you applied yourself to make an impact outside the classroom.

Finally and most importantly, be nice! Be a nice person that people are comfortable with. Be a person that you would want to be with all day long. Treat others with respect, be fair, be just and smile often. Be a warm individual. All of above will come easily if you’re nice and hearty.

I end this with a short activity:

1.       Write your CV without your academic laurels.

2.       Make a list of people you know. Are they the same friends you started Uni with or have you made new friends? What is the percentage of new friends against the old?

3.       Make a list of the Lecturers/TAs you know.

Assess your life based on these and decide now to give what belongs to Caesar to him. Life after Uni is the life but if you have the balance, there’s an 80% chance of having it easy.  At the end of the day acquire as many skills as you possibly can, be a holistically educated and have fun!! Uni should constitute some of the best years of your life. Do not let anyone take that away from you!! Be blessed!

Facts only! I hope you enjoyed reading this…Stay tuned for another feature in a few days! Have a lovely week ahead.

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you all to Olanrewaju Omodara Sharon, a young and vibrant lady I connected with on Instagram a while ago. I was keen to feature her because she just has that kind of ambition you would love to learn from! Enjoy!

What is your name and what university did you attend?

My name is Olanrewaju Omodara Sharon and I attended the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

What year did you graduate and what course did you offer?

I studied the English Arts and I graduated in 2017.

Briefly describe how your university life; any extracurricular activities you were involved, scholarships, awards/ honors etc.

So yeah, I started school with so much innocence, I’ll be seen bouncing around school with my big black school bag which was (for reasons I can’t fathom) always filled with books. I was always walking alone, go to night classes, go home every weekend (because home was also in Ilorin).  I was a faithful student (the regular “we sent you to School to go and read your book” girl) until I realized my skills in poetry. I became a writer of some sort and wasn’t as serious about school work as I used to be anymore. I became passionate about writing, poetry and performing.

Based on your experience in university, do you regret going to university or did you regret at a point? If so why?

Looking back now, do I regret being passionate about my art? Naah. But do I think I could still have been serious about both my academics and my art at the same time, yeah? I remember how at my graduation period, I felt really low because I was going to be graduating with a second class lower. It was much painful because I knew I was smart enough to make a 2.1 and I was so close too. I wept my ass out but after that, I dusted myself as I slowly realized that at the end of it all, even those with the best results will also have to prove their worth; we’re all on this same competitive platform together.

Upon graduation, did you have any plans as to what your next move was? Could you please share?

After my graduation, I was hoping I’ll be able to have my National Youth Service Corp Scheme in Lagos State so as to begin the pursuit of my career as a Television presenter but that didn’t go through as planned so I found myself in Delta state. (Don’t ask me how it’s been.. I don’t want to start crying😁). However, I had also planned on starting my own YouTube show which would be called “The Straight from the Heart show”, this would be another platform for me to keep up with my T. V presenting career. So I began that immediately I got to Delta state.

Based on the answer from the question above, did these plans materialize in the short term or even long term? If it did what was the process like? If not, what happened? Did you have any backup plans?/ In the case where you faced rejections especially in applying for jobs etc, what effect did it have on your person? Care to share any experiences if you had one?

Allow me to talk about disappointments and rejections, allow me to talk about passion and death. Have I been disappointed before?… Oh yes! I am stuck in a state where there is ‘almost’ (Almost please) no form of my art (spoken word). It was a discouraging experience at first. To be in Lagos meant so much to me, it wasn’t about getting a big fat paying job or being popular. It was about being in a place I could grow and learn and live. And this is where I started learning lessons. God carefully taught me to make the best of every situation, TO LIVE THE MOMENT, the NOW and NOT to keep looking forward to better days for as we keep being expectant of better, the present time slips by; our very lives slip by. It is not a wise thing to think, “If I had gotten this or that, a better result or that particular job,  then things would have been much different for me”

The time is now.

If you were to be that 18/19 year old going back to university, knowing what you know now (irrespective of how many years after university) what advice will you give yourself? Any advice to others?

If when I began school, I knew what I know now, I’ll focus more on my life passion which is my art than on ‘School’. I most probably will not even go to the University I attended, I might have gone to a television school or something. Also, I would push harder on my spoken word career, I’ll meet more people and make sure I put myself out even more than I did. Yup! In addition, I think I’ll be wiser enough to know how to manage both the career and the academics so I’ll come out with a better result (just because it actually is possible to come out with a better result even while chasing ones personal dreams).

With the current state of the job market, do you think in like 10 years time, universities will still have value? Especially with the rate at which many graduates end up being unemployed or young people prefer to start their businesses or train in apprenticeships?

Do you see how they have almost torn off all prestige from College of Educations and Polytechnics; it is slowly happening to the Universities. You finish with your first degree and the whole world is screaming that you should get your masters; not because you’re interested but just because the first degree means almost nothing anymore. It’s sad. And here is my advice;

CREATE WHAT YOU WANT

You want to become a T.V presenter, but they keep screaming there is no job right? Then use what you have: phones, social media accounts etc. You want to become a banker and no job yeah? Perhaps you should start working on owning your own bank. Do what you love to do. You won’t die. Don’t be pressured by the need to make money that you then waste your passion, dreams, and life.

What do you do now in terms of work or any other thing you are involved, care to share your social media handles so people could connect with you?

So what do I do now, as I have said before, I am a spoken word Artist. I put up spoken word skits on Instagram @iamsharonpaula and yeah! I run a YouTube show called “The straight from the heart show” on YouTube @iamsharonpaula. I am involved in acting and singing. A movie I acted in will be out soon! And while doing all these, You will find me still chasing my career of becoming a newscaster by taking up jobs with the media as a voice-over artist,  volunteer, anything I’m led by God to do for this is my passion. Yes, it is.

The End

Create What You Want! This reiterates a post I stumbled upon earlier this week. Nobody would hand opportunities to you just like that unless you start doing something, put yourself out there and then see what happens…Just don’t waste your talents and gifts!

This is EVERYTHING. You go, girl! The world ain’t seen nothing yet! Stay tuned for the next episode.

The Episode continues…..I am happy to introduce today’s feature, Shinjini Das, an inspiring and ambitious lady I connected with on LinkedIn a while ago! Believe me….she is the kind of person you would want to have a three-hour conversation with or just follow on social media. I am glad she agreed to be part of this series and I can’t wait for you to read her story! #gogettergirl!

What is your name and what university did you attend?

My name is Shinjini Das and I attended Georgia Tech University.

What year did you graduate and what course did you offer?

I graduated in 2014 with a Bachelors in Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Briefly describe how your university life; any extracurricular activities you were involved, scholarships, awards/ honors etc.

I was very active on campus in the leadership space. Some memorable activities were that I served as a Georgia Tech ambassador, Omicron Delta Kappa (college honor society) member, and later Omicron Delta Kappa National Student Advisory Board member. My greatest passion has always been public speaking, and I was able to do a lot of that in college. But, what was difficult was convincing people about my vision. I wanted to speak in public in front of many people and inspire them, but since I went to a science and engineering school, it was difficult to convince people around me of what I wanted to do. As for honors, yes, I graduated with honors from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Industrial Engineering.

Based on your experience in university, do you regret going to university or did you regret at a point? If so why?

No, not at all. In fact, I am a major global advocate for higher education so I would not advocate for a higher education. I was very happy with my choice of earning an Industrial Engineering degree and feel like it really honed in on my problem-solving abilities, skillsets in building parameters around systems to create international change. I am proud to be an engineer.

Upon graduation, did you have any plans as to what your next move was? Could you please share?

Yes, I joined Deloitte Consulting as a Business Technology Analyst after finishing college, and am thankful that I did. The job was built on the intersection of business and technology. It was really good for me to be serving multiple clients at many different locations such as the United States Federal Government as well as manufacturing clients. I learned a lot on this job, and am thankful for the varied experiences I had serving different clients focusing mostly on project management. It is interesting because when I look back, my project management skills are strong today because of what I learned in those days: account for every transaction, keep clear documentation, and communicate professionally all the time. Those were some of the key highlight lessons I learned.

Based on the answer from the question above, did these plans materialize in the short term or even long term? If it did what was the process like? If not, what happened? Did you have any backup plans?

Yes, my initial plans did materialize! But, what happened after that was unexpected for sure haha. My career switch from where I was to where I am now has been fairly unprecedented. That part has been difficult to predict for sure, but excitement and ups, downs are part of daily life.

In the case where you faced rejections especially in applying for jobs etc, what effect did it have on your person? Care to share any experiences if you had one?

I mean, yes, rejections hurt. Of course, rejections hurt a lot. But, I knew that if I had to win, I would have to keep playing the game and just never stop playing. So, yes, rejections hurt in the interim, but ultimately, I was always focused on where I needed to be, on where I needed to go, so I continued to focus on those goals, on achieving my action plans to hit those goals. Never continue thinking about one rejection, that is just one rejection, but until you reject yourself, you can keep going and playing. Just focus on figuring out other means to achieve your goals. How else can we get to where we want to go? I have made this a game of sorts, and am so excited to find another way when I hear a no.

If you were to be that 18/19 year old going back to university, knowing what you know now (irrespective of how many years after university) what advice will you give yourself? Any advice to others?

The biggest piece of advice I would give to myself is to keep moving. There is no hurdle or rejection big enough to halt your progress indefinitely. Our mindsets create our own futures. This is an important concept that I would also share with others because too often, we let our reality define our future when in reality, only our mindsets define our futures. Focus on building a healthy, positive, aspirational mindset, and you will always be able to conquer whatever goal in store for you.

With the current state of the job market, do you think in like 10 years time, universities will still have value? Especially with the rate at which many graduates end up being unemployed or young people prefer to start their businesses or train in apprenticeships?

Yes, I do think that universities will still have value, but I also think that your reason for attending university needs to be clear and specific. As in, I don’t think that it is a good idea for someone to attend university without a clear idea of the value that this person will obtain from that university education. Even if go-getters want to become entrepreneurs, I would still recommend that they consider college for that foundational training, of course in the right subject. I personally do think that a STEM degree such as Engineering or Computer Science provides that foundational training for problem-solving in all industries in the future. I don’t think the need for college will disappear.

What do you do now in terms of work or any other thing you are involved, care to share your social media handles so people could connect with you?

I am on a mission to close the gap between intellect and pop culture in the media. Currently, the digital creative agency that I started in October of 2016 focuses on building content for small businesses and larger brands, content with meaning, content with emotion, content with substance, depth, vulnerability, and deep personal value for the target audiences. Long-term, I am also building my own digital media platform to provide actionable empowering content.

My go-getters can follow me @speakershinjini across all social media platforms and stay tuned for my first book about my life and ‘How I Got Here’ to be publishing soon this year! I am grateful for your support. 😊

I do hope you have been inspired! Stay tuned for more updates..Have a lovely week ahead!

This week I present to you the story of Philippa Watts, who I met via Child.Org Charity Apprentice Programme. I am very happy she agreed out of the lot to share her story. We happen to have attended the same university as well! I do hope you take a thing or two from it.

What is your name and what university did you attend?

My name is Philippa Watts and I attended the University of Leeds.

What year did you graduate and what course did you offer?

I graduated with my BA in French and History in 2013, and then with my MA in Global Development and Education in 2015.

Briefly describe how your university life; any extracurricular activities you were involved, scholarships, awards/ honors etc.

One of the big draws of Leeds for me was the vast array of societies on offer. I have been involved in theatre and the performing arts since I was 4, and had absolutely no intention of giving anything up, so I dived straight in. The Opera Society was the centre of my life, where I made all my friends and which (at times) took priority over my degree, but I was involved in a different dance society almost every day of the week – Modern Dance for tap and jazz, Swing during my Masters, and a brief foray into ballroom. Towards the end of my degree, I got involved in some inter-university student translation competitions and was delighted to win the French – English round of the Hello Veritas international competition in 2013.

Based on your experience in university, do you regret going to university or did you regret at a point? If so why?

It’s an enormous cliché that they are the best years of your life, and I know that they aren’t for everyone, but for me, they really were halcyon days. Socialising was easy because you knew exactly where to find people like you, I loved my course and found it challenging and intellectually stimulating, and I got opportunities that I would never have got anywhere else. I don’t think I regretted going or my choice of course at any point, I did what I loved and trusted that everything else would fall into place, which it has.

Upon graduation, did you have any plans as to what your next move was? Could you please share?

When I was about 10, I informed my mum that I was going to star in musicals. She wasted no time in telling me that I wouldn’t enjoy that because I would have no money and no stability, so I asked her what she thought I would be good at. She had a bit of a think and told I would make a great barrister, so for the next 11 years, I laid all the foundations to join the bar. As soon as I could I started filling my holidays with work experience placements and mini-pupillages, and by the time I got to my final year I had my place at law school confirmed to do my conversion course. Then, my translation and interpretation tutors started asking me if I would consider taking their Masters courses and training professionally in one of these disciplines, and I realized that I really loved languages (I had taught myself Spanish to 2nd-year degree level alongside my French studies). Plus, the rules around Legal Aid tightened dramatically and the system was hemorrhaging barristers left, right and center, so suddenly it didn’t look so tempting.

Based on the answer from the question above, did these plans materialize in the short term or even long term? If it did what was the process like? If not, what happened? Did you have any backup plans?

So, in the midst of a minor existential crisis, I fell on another cliché and decided to go to India. Not with the hippyish intention of ‘finding myself’ (though I guess that did happen), but an opportunity to do an internship with a charity came my way via my course (I specialized in Indian gender history) and it seemed like a good chance to travel and learn another language. To cut a long and complicated story short, I spent 6 months working with teachers and youth workers to develop child-centered, games-based teaching methods and reduce corporal punishment. There I realized that the charity sector existed and would offer me exactly the kind of challenges I had been looking for as a barrister, but without the crushing workload.

In the case where you faced rejections especially in applying for jobs etc, what effect did it have on your person? Care to share any experiences if you had one?

I have been very lucky so far that things have generally fallen where I want them, and I think part of that has been knowing when to jump ship and take a new opportunity, and when to stick to my guns and see what is around the corner. Not to say that I haven’t been rejected for things, when I was looking for my first paid job after my unpaid internship I applied for a job that I could very confidently tick all the boxes for and I thought was made for me. I didn’t even get an interview as there were 312 applicants. I actually met the lady who got the job a couple of months later, and it turned out she had years more experience than me and, to be honest, was vastly over-qualified. But (warning, yet another cliché in-coming) it’s true what they say about when one door closes another opens, and there will always be something else. So chin up, have confidence in your abilities, and keep an eye on how you can fill the gaps in your skill set. There are so many excellent online courses out there, often free, which are a good starting point.

If you were to be that 18/19 year old going back to university, knowing what you know now (irrespective of how many years after university) what advice will you give yourself? Any advice to others?

My advice to anyone starting out at uni would do what you love, first and foremost. If you don’t love it, you won’t excel at it because you won’t have the motivation to push yourself. Other than that, I would suggest that it helps to have a trajectory and an end goal as this helps you orientate yourself in the vast and complex adult world, but that you should be open to this goal changing as you discover more about yourself and the opportunities that are out there. Say yes to everything and work out the practicalities later (though I realize that is easier for some to do than others), and learn to position yourself through networking so that opportunities are more likely to come your way.

With the current state of the job market, do you think in like 10 years time, universities will still have value? Especially with the rate at which many graduates end up being unemployed or young people prefer to start their businesses or train in apprenticeships?

In my opinion, universities will always have value for those who look for it. You can’t be passive and expect everything to be delivered to you, especially as the staff is becoming increasingly pressured and resources are under threat. Lecturers and teaching staff will always want to engage with young people who are curious, so don’t think it’s nerdy to want to chat with your lecturers outside of class time or to look into extra resources. But academic success is only one of the benefits that university brings; as long as universities remain places that create and develop a wide range of extracurricular opportunities they will have value. Whatever your ‘thing’ is, you will be able to develop vital and transferable skills around it – be on the committee of your society and you will get leadership, organization, budgeting skills and so many more. Take the initiative to start something new and you will be able to show employers that you are creative, innovative and determined. I have a lot of respect for people that dive straight into apprenticeships or business, but being at university (particularly doing an arts degree) gives you the flexibility to explore that you will never have again once you join the world of work.

What do you do now in terms of work or any other thing you are involved, care to share your social media handles so people could connect with you?

I am now Participation Development Officer for the Council for Disabled Children, where I support disabled children and young people to influence the government SEND reforms, as well as supporting professionals to improve their understanding and implementation of children’s right to be meaningfully involved in decision-making. Feel free to look me up on LinkedIn or Facebook

I hope you enjoyed her story…Stay tuned for other amazing features…